SHAWCO’s COVID-19 info and soap outreach

30 March 2020 | Story Helen Swingler. Read time 4 min.
SHAWCO Health&rsquo;s COVID-19 outreach in communities saw 7&nbsp;000 bars of soap and 10&nbsp;000 information pamphlets in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans distributed before the nationwide lockdown. Photo <a href="https://www.piqsels.com/en/public-domain-photo-snkuo" target="_blank">Piqsels</a>.
SHAWCO Health’s COVID-19 outreach in communities saw 7 000 bars of soap and 10 000 information pamphlets in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans distributed before the nationwide lockdown. Photo Piqsels.

The health division of the Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO) was hard at work disseminating COVID-19 information pamphlets and soap in local townships before the 21-day lockdown – with an aim to curb the rise of coronavirus infections – began at midnight on 26 March.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) student-run outreach distributed two sought-after commodities: information – in the form of health pamphlets in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans – and soap bars. These were dispensed in communities where SHAWCO hosts health clinics.

For the past 77 years, SHAWCO has been providing primary healthcare services and a range of educational services to under-resourced communities in and around the Cape.

“Like UCT, SHAWCO clinics are currently closed [for lockdown], so the money that would have been used to run clinics was diverted to this health promotion project. This was augmented with donations from the Rotary Club and the public, specifically the Ockhuisen family,” said SHAWCO Health president Sana Salduker.

“We distributed over 10 000 pamphlets and 7 000 bars of Dettol soap and we have 3 000 bars reserved in case of outbreaks in specific areas,” said Salduker, who has been assisted by Robyn Kamau, SHAWCO Health vice-president.

 

“The aim of this was to limit any unnecessary contact between people.”

“We chose distribution sites based on the safest options available in each area, mainly public places providing ‘essential services’, such as clinics and police stations, that will be open during lockdown and that people will have to visit or walk past. We also partnered with multiple NGOs that are providing essential food services and will distribute our pamphlets and soap while carrying out their services. The aim of this was to limit any unnecessary contact between people.”

SHAWCO members were hard at work disseminating COVID-19 information pamphlets and soap in local townships before the 21-day nationwide lockdown. Photos Robyn Kamau.

The communities included were Masiphumelele, via the NGO Living Hope; SHAWCO’s clinics in Barcelona and New Rest in Gugulethu, and via two soup kitchens there; the SHAWCO Simthandile clinic in Khayelitsha, with distribution via the Meals on Wheels programme; the local clinic at Brown’s Farm; and SHAWCO clinics at Imizamo Yethu, via the local community health workers.

They also distributed soap and pamphlets at The Haven Night Shelter and the Cheshire Home for the disabled. Distribution was also extended to sites that were serviced by SHAWCO’s education outreach in Kensington and Manenberg, via community clinics, police stations and schools.

“These operations were carried out from Monday to Wednesday by the Health Steering Committee with the assistance of Cecil Constant and Cyril Pelston, both SHAWCO retirees.

The SHAWCO clinics have now gone into hibernation following the countrywide lockdown.

“Both student volunteers and community members are disappointed that clinics have been put on hold but understand that this is in the best interest of all in order to limit the spread of the virus,” said Salduker.

 

“It was important to us to maintain a presence in the communities … and do what we can to further health promotion.”

“But the communities were very appreciative of SHAWCO’s support and efforts to provide some form of protection and education about the coronavirus outbreak. It was important to us to maintain a presence in the communities we usually have clinics in and do what we can to further health promotion so that community members don’t feel abandoned during this difficult time.”

In many cases, community health workers reported that the correct information regarding the COVID-19 outbreak had not reached some communities and that large gatherings were still occurring.

“Our hope is that this health promotion project empowers communities by teaching people about the importance of isolation, as well as providing them with tools to protect themselves,” said Salduker.


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UCT’s response to COVID-19

COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020. UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.

Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has in June 2022 repealed some of South Africa’s remaining COVID-19 regulations: namely, sections 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions under the National Health Act. We are now no longer required to wear masks or limit gatherings. Venue restrictions and checks for travellers coming into South Africa have now also been removed.

In July 2022, the University of Cape Town (UCT) revised its approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic on UCT campuses in 2022.
Read the latest document available on the UCT policies web page.

 

Campus communications

 
2022

Adjusting to our new environment 16:50, 23 June 2022
VC Open Lecture and other updates 17:04, 13 April 2022
Feedback from UCT Council meeting of 12 March 2022 09:45, 18 March 2022
UCT Council
March 2022 graduation celebration 16:45, 8 March 2022
Report on the meeting of UCT Council of 21 February 2022 19:30, 21 February 2022
UCT Council
COVID-19 management 2022 11:55, 14 February 2022
Return to campus arrangements 2022 11:15, 4 February 2022

UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre

On Wednesday, 20 July, staff from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences came together with representatives from the Western Cape Government at the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence to acknowledge the centre’s significance in the fight against COVID-19 and to thank its staff for their contributions. The centre opened on 1 September 2021 with the aim of providing quality vaccination services to UCT staff, students and the nearby communities, as well as to create an opportunity for medical students from the Faculty of Health Sciences to gain practical public health skills. The vaccination centre ceased operations on Friday, 29 July 2022.

With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.

 

“After almost a year of operation, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, located at the Forest Hill residence complex in Mowbray, will close on Friday, 29 July 2022. I am extremely grateful and proud of all staff, students and everyone involved in this important project.”
– Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng

With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.


Thank You UCT Community

Frequently asked questions

 

Global Citizen Asks: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe & Effective?

UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) collaborated with Global Citizen, speaking to trusted experts to dispel vaccine misinformation.



If you have further questions about the COVID-19 vaccine check out the FAQ produced by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). The DTHF has developed a dedicated chat function where you can ask your vaccine-related questions on the bottom right hand corner of the website.

IDM YouTube channel | IDM website
 

 

“As a contact university, we look forward to readjusting our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2023 as the COVID-19 regulations have been repealed.”
– Prof Harsha Kathard, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning

We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.

 

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